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need help (PC buying coming soon)

S

scorpionldr

Dec 10, 2002
2,613
74
Dirty Jersey, USA
#1
ok guys, now i'm pretty sure you've all heard some of my wierd ramblings about trying to get better sound quality from recordings after i've strung together lines of CRAP to get the job done.

Since I am going to retire the "pride and joy" laptop of '01 and move onto something more functional (since it's become completely obscelete to the network at my college), I'm looking to get a new, decently priced, somewhat good spec LAPTOP that I will not only be able to do regular work on, but also make good recordings on. I would like to be able to just plug the yamaha mixer that I have into the computer and produce recordings that sound as good as basement quality can produce (if that even makes sense).

can you guys give me suggestions for laptops and recording software I can use? So far all I know is that I've heard the new Centrino can and probably will crash for what I want to use my computer for, and that I've used cakewalk in the past.
 
#2
How much you got?

Apple Macbooks are amazing laptops, you can do everything that a normal laptop can do and more. It has GarageBand which has so many great features in it (free) and you can record on that easily. Or for a simpler program you can use Audacity (free download, search Google)

But for the mac you can buy Logic Pro or the cut down version, for not much money, and you can get spectacular 'bedroom' recorded music.

You might want to buy and External M-Audio firewire imput box alongside the mixer (it makes it easier to record).
 
#3
+1 on the MacBook!!

I've got one, and garageband works great, but I upgraded to Logic Express 7.2. (garageband is compatable with logic, so all stuff transfers between the two.)

The MacBook is a sweet running laptop, and the hardware/software is amazing.
2ghz intel duo chip, 2gb ram, the thing runs smooth. I haven't done any HUGE recording yet, but so far it hasn't even broke a sweat.
 
#4
I'm in the same position. I bought a "new" (new to me, anyway) computer that was to be dedicated to recording, and although it produces decent results, I'm still not satisfied. So I'm also shopping for a laptop.

+1 on the USB thing, though. I had been recording through a Behringer mini mixer into my computer's sound card using Adobe Audition. No problem. Well, my motherboard went south, and while it was in the shop, a buddy came out and recorded my band on his laptop - Behringer mixer and Adobe Audition, but he used an M-Audio USB sound capture device (at least I think it was M-Audio). SO much better sound quality.

FWIW, I would (and will) look into a new mixer with USB or firewire out. Otherwise, you'll probably be locked into 2 channels of simultaneous recording. For my purposes (recording full drum kits, or tracking the whole band at once), I'd like at least 8 channels of simultaneous recording, which is what I understand some of these mixers can do.
 
#5
Dkerwood said:
I'm in the same position. I bought a "new" (new to me, anyway) computer that was to be dedicated to recording, and although it produces decent results, I'm still not satisfied. So I'm also shopping for a laptop.

+1 on the USB thing, though. I had been recording through a Behringer mini mixer into my computer's sound card using Adobe Audition. No problem. Well, my motherboard went south, and while it was in the shop, a buddy came out and recorded my band on his laptop - Behringer mixer and Adobe Audition, but he used an M-Audio USB sound capture device (at least I think it was M-Audio). SO much better sound quality.

FWIW, I would (and will) look into a new mixer with USB or firewire out. Otherwise, you'll probably be locked into 2 channels of simultaneous recording. For my purposes (recording full drum kits, or tracking the whole band at once), I'd like at least 8 channels of simultaneous recording, which is what I understand some of these mixers can do.
Click to expand...

M-Audio boxes are great and good for recording on the fly, but if you get a Mackie or other Firewire mixer, it justs adds to it, because i think you can plug the firewire into the M-Audio to get more control!
 
#7
clockworkwar said:
How much you got?

Apple Macbooks are amazing laptops, you can do everything that a normal laptop can do and more. It has GarageBand which has so many great features in it (free) and you can record on that easily. Or for a simpler program you can use Audacity (free download, search Google)

But for the mac you can buy Logic Pro or the cut down version, for not much money, and you can get spectacular 'bedroom' recorded music.

You might want to buy and External M-Audio firewire imput box alongside the mixer (it makes it easier to record).
Click to expand...
well......so far as far as PC laptops we looked at we saw things in the range between 700 and 900, so i guess i{m saying for that for now. i looked into mac, but i{m just a windows guy. that and i dont like having to find new softwares to replace what i have been used to for so long.

as far as firewire, i heard that is a much more direct way to record (whereas USB encounters latency problems).....any other special hardware i would need? i think its safe to say ill stick with windows till it becomes an obligation to switch to mac......ANYTHING is better than what i have right now, and if i can just get a decent recording from what i got (clear, no problems hearing things, no breakup) than i want just that. the heck am i gonna do with a mac when i dont have any thing to go along with it (mac compatible machines, or ipod=
 

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